I'm (Just) a Teacher but I am Proud

I’m (Just) a Teacher but I am Proud

I like the academic world. I like the questions that get asked and I really like the battle of the wits. Generally, the battles are about issues that I think matter. I’m not so naïve or so ignorant of the teaching side of the academia that I don’t realize that conflict can be petty, but I have found the structure and the goals of education would help keep the battle on point. Conflict happens everywhere and I want to fight about things that matter to me.

As I look back to a few years ago, I didn’t plan to be a teacher. “Me? Becoming a teacher? No way!” I heard myself said. I always wanted to be a doctor of medicine. It had been my cherished ambition. Four years rolled by, after high school, I couldn’t believe I found myself holding a chalk board, writing lesson plans and teaching students. I got fascinated in the classroom life. At first, it was difficult. For me to survive, I needed to think it over seriously. Is this really the profession I want to do for my life? There was conflict inside me. Later on, I comforted myself into thinking that it’s great to be a teacher even this would entail so much stress and pressure physically and emotionally. I become enthusiastic and my work keeps me busy and alert. My dealing with people has improved to a higher level. I learned to be nice, kind, friendly, gentle and generous. I never thought I would be this person. I used to be a shy person with no confidence in myself. Now I realize that it is important to socialize with people. I talk to my students everyday and speak to their parents during parent-teacher conference in school. I learned to solve bigger problems and manage my time and resources. I’m glad my students are close to me. They love to share their experiences and even like to open up their personal lives with me. My life seems to revolve around the school and my students.

The most difficult thing has been finding out that I’m not a perfect teacher. I wasn’t even a perfect student back in school days. But somehow, I expected teaching to be different. I introduced teaching innovations in my classes. Anything that comes in my mind I want to make it real for my students to experience it. Learning doesn’t only happen inside the classrooms so I device a teaching strategy which is outside the usual, something different. Learning, at this point, becomes concrete and fun for the students. Sad to say, for most people, anything new and different is not good. Usually it is treated with a cold shoulder. A change can be impossible if some of the school personnel and faculty are resistant for innovations. I was once bullied with raising eyebrows and brutal criticisms. But I remained calm because I knew I did my best for my students. It’s true that change doesn’t happen over night. In my years in teaching, though I still consider myself beginner, I can’t help not to magnify the little irregularities in the academe that I didn’t see before. When probe closely these ‘‘little irregularities” would trigger economic, social and morals upheavals. Conflict within the academe is inevitable. But as duly licensed professionals, we must see things objectively with no personal biases and must solve the problems right away. Teachers are expected to be duty-bound. I do my part well. I go to school everyday and make it a rule not to come late. I pay my taxes and other dues. I should avoid any form of corruption as much as possible in my work.

Teaching introduced me to a different pace of life. I’m going to work hard. Teaching allows me to use my intellect and originality. I know how important it is to treat people with kindness and respect especially when they are having difficulties or problems. I bring a fairly broad knowledge in education (I’m pursuing my post graduate program in Master of Science in Science Education). I think the most important contribution I can make is making a difference in someone’s life. Positive comments, showing trust in someone taking an action that communicates care and respect can positively change someone’s view of themselves and perhaps their lives as well. What would be more important? Teachers have both the power and opportunity to do great amount of good for many people. I know that I will take all the opportunities available to nurture, encourage and bring joy to those around me.

I think I have much to offer to the teaching field and teaching has much to offer me. To teaching, I will provide my knowledge, inventiveness, and dedication to students. In return, teaching will give me a space to grow intellectually and creatively and a group of people whose growth will provide me with a great sense of reward. I hope this would provide greater heights in my quest for excellence.

The Crisis of Public Education in the Philippines

I would like to share some thoughts of Dr. Ronald Meinardus, former Resident Representative of the Friedrich-Naumann Foundation in the Philippines and a commentator on Asian affairs. After reading the article, please post your reactions on the issue. Let us know how you can be a solution to the crisis in education and change the way we think about the public education in the Philippines.

The Crisis of Public Education in the Philippines

By Ronald Meinardus

According to the human capital theory, the economic development of a nation is a function of the quality of its education. In other words: the more and better educated a people, the greater the chances of economic development.

The modern world in which we live is often termed a "knowledge society"; education and information have become production factors potentially more valuable than labor and capital. Thus, in a globalized setting, investment in human capital has become a condition for international competitiveness.

In the Philippines, I often hear harsh criticism against the politics of globalization. At the same time, regarding the labor markets, I can hardly think of another nation that is so much a part of a globalized economy than the Philippines with nearly ten per cent of the overall population working beyond the shores of the native land.

Brain drain. Apart from the much debated political, social and psychological aspects, this ongoing mass emigration constitutes an unparalleled brain drain with serious economic implications.

Arguably, the phenomenon also has an educational dimension, as the Philippine society is footing the bill for the education of millions of people, who then spend the better part of their productive years abroad. In effect, the poor Philippine educational system is indirectly subsidizing the affluent economies hosting the OFWs.

With 95 per cent of all elementary students attending public schools, the educational crisis in the Philippines is basically a crisis of public education. The wealthy can easily send their offspring to private schools, many of which offer first-class education to the privileged class of pupils.
Social divide. Still, the distinct social cleavage regarding educational opportunities remains problematic for more than one reason. Historically, in most modern societies, education has had an equalizing effect. In Germany, for instance, the educational system has helped overcome the gender gap, and later also the social divide. Today, the major challenge confronting the educational system in the country I come from is the integration of millions of mostly non-European, in most cases Muslim, immigrants. Importantly, this leveling out in the context of schooling has not occurred in this part of the world. On the contrary, as one Filipino columnist wrote a while ago, "Education has become part of the institutional mechanism that divides the poor and the rich."

Let me add an ideological note to the educational debate: Liberals are often accused of standing in the way of reforms that help overcome social inequalities. While, indeed, liberals value personal freedom higher than social equality, they actively promote equality of opportunities in two distinct policy areas: education and basic health care.

For this reason, educational reform tends to have a high ranking on the agenda of most liberal political parties in many parts of the world.

This said, it is probably no coincidence that the National Institute for Policy Studies (NIPS), liberal think-tank of the Philippines, invited me the other day to a public forum on the "Challenges on Educational Reform." With the school year having just started and the media filled with reports on the all but happy state of public education in the country, this was a very timely and welcome event. I was impressed by the inputs from Representative Edmundo O. Reyes, Jr, the Chairman of the Committee on Education of the House of Representatives, and DepEd Undersecretary Juan Miguel Luz. Both gave imposing presentations on the state of Philippine education.

Although I have been in this country for over a year now, I am still astonished again and again by the frankness and directness with which people here address problems in public debates. "The quality of Philippine education has been declining continuously for roughly 25 years," said the Undersecretary -- and no one in the audience disagreed. This, I may add, is a devastating report card for the politicians who governed this nation in the said period. From a liberal and democratic angle, it is particularly depressing as this has been the period that coincides with democratic rule that was so triumphantly and impressively reinstalled after the dark years of dictatorship in 1986! Describing the quality of Philippine school education today, the senior DepEd official stated the following: "Our schools are failing to teach the competence the average citizen needs to become responsible, productive and self-fulfilling. We are graduating people who are learning less and less."

While at the said forum, more than one speaker observed that the educational problems are structural in nature, I missed propositions for reform that are so far-reaching to merit the attribute structural.

Gargantuan problems. While the Undersecretary very patiently and impressively charted out the four policy directions of the political leadership of his ministry (taking teachers out of elections, establishing a nationwide testing system, preserving private schools, raising subsidies for a voucher system), to me -- as a foreign observer -- these remedies sound technocratic considering, what one writer in this paper has recently termed, "the gargantuan magnitude of the problems besetting Philippine basic education."

Let me highlight two figures: Reportedly, at last count more than 17 million students are enrolled in this country's public schools.

At an annual population growth rate of 2.3 per cent, some 1.7 million babies are born every year. In a short time, these individuals will claim their share of the limited educational provisions.
"We can't build classrooms fast enough to accommodate" all these people, said the DepEd Undersecretary, who also recalled the much lamented lack of teachers, furniture and teaching materials.

In short, there are too little resources for too many students.

Two alternatives. In this situation, logically, there exist only two strategic alternatives: either, one increases the resources, which is easier said than done considering the dramatic state of public finances, or one reduces the number of students.

This second alternative presupposes a systematic population policy, aimed at reducing the number of births considerably.

But this, too, is easier said than done, considering the politics in this country -- or to quote Congressman Reyes: "Given the very aggressive and active intervention of the Church addressing the population problem is very hard to tackle."

I'm (just) a Teacher

I have always thought that teaching was one of the most important careers a person could ever undertake. After taking this program for four years in college, I still very much feel that way, but I also realize that there are many factors that go into effective teaching, and I realize now more than ever that being an excellent teacher is something that requires teamwork from a great many number of people; it is truly not a job that can be done alone. I salute and cheer all persons entering into this field with the highest of expectations for what they can do for their students, classrooms, and their schools. If we work collectively and with a common goal, we can continue to teach and improve upon our teaching in such a way that our students will not only excel in our own classrooms, but take with them the skills they need as they further their educations and enter into the communities. We can offer them what they need to offer us the assurance of a productive future.

Trainers Methodology + Trainers Assesssment Training Conducted by TESDA

I can't really describe in full details the stories behind these photos... maybe when my co-participants in the training would, in case, dare to visit this entry and laugh over these photos. In fact nobody knew I took them camera shots. Well, I guess next time I will post here the chronology of the TESDA Training. I los t for words, I couldn't think of anything but "I need a break" I'm just beginning to enjoy and relax. I want to increase the momentum. I'm quite busy outlining my year-end performance for Year 2008. Abangan!